Need some input. Got a quote for an installation.

[zenbane]

My parents just bought a condo in Florida. They are not tech-saavy at all. This is in Naples, and I cant help but feel as though this contractor is trying to suck them dry ($22.50 for a 6 foot ethernet cable?). This is for a 2 bedroom condo with a porch, not a big place at all. The price seems pretty high for such a small job.

Some Questions:

Canton sound bar any good?
TV look good?
Does it make sense to buy a cable modem?
D-Link any good or stick to old school WRT54G with Tomato?
Speakers/Ipod - Make sense?
Is there a better value remote on the market?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!! I know its tough to visualize without seeing the place but all my father wanted was 2 tv's (one kitchen one living room), an ipod hookup and surround sound.

Let me know what you think:

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2636/avsnapshot.jpg

[markw]

Remember, you are paying for more than the hardware. You're paying for professional labor and expertise.

I would hope/expect that the installer conducted a fairly extensive interview with your folks up front to ascetain their wishes before deciding on the equipment list.

You might want to get other estimates from other contractors.

[N. Abstentia]

I know you're overpaying for the TV, HDMI cables, and ethernet cables.

You can get all the ethernet and HDMI cables from Monoprice for about $20 total. No use in paying them hundreds of dollars for it.

And that TV should cost around $900 max, $1600 is outrageous. They might even be happy with a 42" Panasonic Plasma that sells for $600 at Best Buy.

You can also buy that same mount from Monoprice for $60. Not sure why they want $360 for it.

If it were ME, I would tell them to take that stuff off and you'll provide it yourself. I'd also tell them to shove that $700 remote and get a $200 Harmony which is a better remote, but you'll probably have to program it for them.

The rest I can't comment. But like Mark said, the thing they probably need most is the installation. You should be able to provide your own equipment.

[N. Abstentia]

I'm also having a hard time figuring out why they need all those component video and optical cables...you shouldn't need any at all. BluRay to Denon via HDMI, Denon to TV via HDMI should cover it.

[Hyfi]

Why don't you spec out and buy what is needed and just pay for the installation?

[Kevio]

The inflated equipment costs make their labor rates look reasonable :)

If at all possible, get multiple quotes and check references.

This may be the going rate for installing a system like this. What we're looking at here is "residential". It is unfair to make comparisons to retail. The value here is that they recommend and gather all the stuff and get it installed and working. Most people would be completely lost. It's a lot of legwork and heavy lifting and special tools and experience even for someone who knows what they're doing.

[elapsed]

The price for the television is outrageous. Also I paid less than half the amount for my Sanus wallmount bracket. All of the cable runs should be HDMI, it's senseless to purchase component, digital coax and optical audio cables. The URC MX-980 is very nice you can get an equally good Harmony for a third of the price. Also being ripped off on HDMI and Ethernet cables. I have never heard of the subwoofer or had an opportunity to audition this soundbar, but I would expect a far more capable sound system in this price category.

The Linksys WRT54G has been plauged with problems since Linksys was aquired by Cisco, I would suggest going with D-Link. Also I wouldn't suggest purchasing the Denon iPod dock, very clunky to use. $225 to program the remote control is a bit silly, this can be done in minutes themselves

Your parents should be challenging all of these items and finding a competitive quote from another store.

cheers,
elapsed

[zepman1]

As stated the cost of the tv is outragous. I paid $1250 for a 50" Samsung plasma recently. Price of cables is very high as well so a lot of money could be saved by buying all this stuff yourself.

Labor rate seems expensive too, but its probably going rate for that stuff. $225 to set up a remote? I set up mine in like 30 minutes.

I think the extra video cables (besides HDMI) are being used in case you want to watch TV without using the AVR. It will be a more flexible system for multi-zone use this way as well.

I might shy away from providing different equipment than they are showing if you aren't tech savvy. (ie. the Harmony remote suggested). It looks like their remote may be part of an integrated IR/RF distribution system. The Harmony would not work in other areas of the house like they are intending since it is only IR. Just be careful about any substitutions and buy what they are showing, you'll still save a ton. But yeah, the Harmony is better and cheaper, but it just may not work with what they are trying to do.

[N. Abstentia]

Good points on having all that as a 'package' that they know will work with the remote, but anybody who can use a computer can program a Harmony, and they do have an RF model.

As far as changing equipment..again if they are even half stupid they can make any TV with an HDMI input work. Same for the wall mount.

[zepman1]

I was referring mainly to the "control" items like remotes, IR distribution and speaker selectors, not things like tv's speakers, receiver as these should be pretty much interchangeable. A harmony is easy to program, but if they aren't technically inclined, and don't really understand how everything is connected and supposed to run, they may have trouble with it.

But I think the main point is be careful that anything you substitute is compatible with the other elements.

[02audionoob]

The inflated equipment costs make their labor rates look reasonable :)

That's probably exactly the idea. If they didn't have a high mark-up on the equipment, they'd have higher labor rates. There are interior decorators that have no labor rate at all. The money they make is in their cut of the furnishings. Supplying your own equipment is like going to Denny's and bringing your own eggs.

[pixelthis]

You can get a wireless router for a hundred bucks, a cable modem is free from the cable company.
And I purchased a 1 in 4 out wideband distribution box at walfart for 40 bucks.
It handled HD and cable modem well.
Also the concept of a "whole house" AV system is dated.
At these prices you could buy a 549 receiver for each location, install would be less complicated and the entire thing would be more flexible.
The idea of a distribution system feeding off of one central source is from days when
electronics were expensive.
A cable run to the kitchen and an inexpensive HTIB would be a LOT cheaper and more versatile, we're talking about the kitchen after all.
For your eight grand plus you will get a cheap HT receiver feeding into a bunch of
cheap speakers at different locations, with video going into overpriced TV sets.
And everybody has to be watching basically the same thing.
The component cables are for the analog feed from the receiver.
Receivers have a "zone b" true but its always analog, so you need analog cables like component, another reason to buy a source for every location.
Expensive? So is a bunch of overpriced wirer and gear that will produce at best mediocre
results.
One thing you could do, find some starving engineering students and see what they come up with.
I bet it will be better and cheaper:1:

[zepman1]

Supplying your own equipment is like going to Denny's and bringing your own eggs.

True to an extent, but they do have over a $1000 of labor quoted already. Let them requote the labor only then, it will be more, but probably still a cost savings. If they won't do it call around and find someone who will. In this economy I can't imagine they are swamped with work.

And I do agree with some of Pix's comments, there may be better ways to do all this. I have no problem with "whole house" audio concept, but I think they could simplify some things for better results and less cost.

[AVMASTER]

I can only assume that the proposal was created based on what your father asked for? When i design a system my choices are based on what the client wants to be able to do, equipment that works well together and can achieve that desire, fits within the parameters of the home/business, and within budget. Shop the proposal with other integrators in the area for better pricing and/or equipment choices but posting the proposed system on-line is not really helpful without seeing what is really required to do what your father wants, having said that, the labor rates are undisputable
Canton CD90 Soundbar: actually pretty good and resonably priced, well respected German company
Samsung LN40b650 good HDTV, could be better pricing, lots of comparable choices but maybe your father asked for that particular model
cable modem get it from cable provided
D-Link good stuff, stick with it
speakers Nuvo and Proficient I would have proposed Speakercraft but I suspect they may have been chosen to cut cost and/or fit a particular usage
Remote control comparable Harmony 890pro with RF extender, not sure if you really save much and the MX980 is better designed